This week, SB1192 which seeks to preempt regulation of Pain Management clinics, was removed from HHS Appropriations and referred to Community Affairs but has not yet been calendared. HB831, which does not contain preemption language, is in its last stop in Health & Human Services committee and can be heard as early as 4/4. FAC has issued a call to action to all counties asking that Commissioners contact their local delegation and law enforcement contact Attorney General Bondi to express their opposition to preemption in SB1192.

Also, SB 294 pertaining to illegalization of Synthetic Drugs was read for the second time on the floor this week and is now ready for final passage in the Senate. Its companion bill HB 619 is on the Special Order calendar and is ready for second reading in the House.

Summary: Expands Schedule I of the controlled substances register to include 22 new formulas of synthetic drugs; all 22 formulas were included in the Attorney General’s December 2012 Emergency Order outlawing them.

Status: SB 294 was read for the second time this week and is ready for a vote in the Senate. HB 619 is on the Special Order calendar and is ready for second reading in the House.

Requires physicians to consult PDMP prior to prescribing drugs to new patients

Removes restriction on state funding for PDMP

Places a moratorium on new county ordinances

The House bill directs a workgroup to create a model county ordinance to go into effect in 2014 limited to zoning matters; no county ordinance can be stricter or go beyond model ordinance

The Senate bill preempts the regulation of pain clinics and its practitioners, as well as, pharmacies, pharmacists, and health care facilities to the State.

Status: Both bills were referred to three committees. SB 1192 unanimously passed out of Health Policy on 3/20 despite strong opposition from counties over the preemption language. This week, SB 1192 was removed from Health and Human Services Appropriations and referred to Community Affairs and can be heard as early as 4/2. In the House, HB 831 passed out of the Health Quality Committee 3/19 with an amendment that removed all preemption language, which FAC supported; the bill now moves to its second and last stop in the Health & Human Services committee, where it can be heard as early as 4/4. Currently the bills are drastically different. FAC has issued a call to action to all counties asking that Commissioners contact their local delegation and law enforcement contact Attorney General Bondi to express their opposition to preemption of counties’ ability to regulate pain management clinics.

A first violation is a nonmoving violation and subsequent offenses within a 5 year period is a moving violation with fines and points assessed

Status: The Senate bill has passed two of its three committees and the House bill passed its second of three committees unanimously this week. SB 52 is currently in Judiciary but has not moved in three weeks. HB 13 is still in Economic Affairs but has not yet been placed on the agenda.